Despite the different opinions on the degree of authority that
should be given to the books of the Apocrypha, most Christians
agree that these books are valuable. Because these books were
written in the intertestamental period, they provide helpful
insight into Jewish history, beliefs, and religious practices
immediately prior to the birth of Jesus. People who read them will
be better able to understand the political, cultural, ethical, and
religious context of the contemporaries of Jesus.

Translated directly from the original languages by the closest
natural equivalent translation philosophy, GOD'S WORD Translation
is an exceptional literary work that consciously combines
scholarly fidelity with natural English.